How to Number WPS Writer Tables by Different Heading Levels
Question details
The user needs to number table captions according to different heading levels in a Word-compatible document, keeping chapter and section numbering independent.
- Product
- WPS Office Writer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is formatting a long document that contains nested headings and wants table captions to follow the corresponding chapter or section number instead of one global heading style.
- Observed behavior
- Table captions normally follow a single selected heading style, so changing the chapter or section style can renumber existing tables, and mixed heading-level schemes require manual field adjustments.
Open the document in WPS Writer and confirm that chapter and section titles use the built-in Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles. Table captions should be inserted as captions or kept as editable text so they can be updated cleanly.
Manually number table captions for mixed heading levels
Use this method when your document mixes Heading 1 and Heading 2 table numbering and you want a simple, reliable result without editing field codes.
Manual numbering is often the fastest way to control different caption schemes in a small or medium document. It avoids automatic renumbering surprises caused by chapter style changes.
Click directly on the table caption in WPS Writer, or place the cursor before the caption text.
If the caption already contains an automatic number, select only the number and press Delete.
Type the full number for that heading level, for example Table 2.1 for a Heading 2 table or Table 2 for a Heading 1 table.
Move to the next table and apply the same number pattern within that chapter or section so numbering remains consistent.
Use the Caption dialog for a single heading-level numbering scheme
Use this method when all table captions should follow one heading level, such as Heading 1 or Heading 2.
Edit StyleRef and SEQ fields for custom nested caption numbering
Use this method for advanced control when some captions must reference Heading 1 and others Heading 2, and you need field-based automatic updates.
Number Table Captions by Heading Levels in WPS Writer
Use WPS Writer to set automatic caption numbering by a single heading level or manually control mixed chapter and section numbers. WPS Office Writer preserves Word .docx caption fields and heading styles, so you can switch from Microsoft Word without losing document structure.
- 1. Download and install: Download WPS Office Free from the official WPS site and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open the Word document: Launch WPS Office Writer and open the .docx document that contains the table captions.
- 3. Insert or edit captions: Click References > Insert Caption to set one heading level, or click the existing caption number to edit it manually.
- 4. Save as Word-compatible file: Save the document as .docx so captions, headings, and numbering remain compatible with Microsoft Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my table captions renumber when I change a heading style in WPS Writer?
Because captions include a style reference that points to a heading level. Open the Caption dialog, click Numbering, and choose Chapter starts with style to set which heading level controls the number. If captions are field-based, they update when that style changes.
Can I use Heading 2 for table captions and Heading 1 for figure captions in the same document?
Yes, but not fully automatically. Insert separate captions and choose different chapter styles, or edit the STYLEREF field in each caption. For small documents, typing numbers manually is usually simpler.
How do I show or edit caption field codes in WPS Writer?
Click inside the caption and press Alt+F9 to toggle field codes. You can then edit the STYLEREF heading style or SEQ sequence name, and press F9 with the caption selected to update the result.
Will manual table numbering survive when I save as a Microsoft Word .docx file?
Yes. Manual caption numbers typed as plain text remain unchanged when the document is opened in Word. Automatic caption fields may still update if heading styles or chapter numbering change.
Does WPS Writer have the same Caption dialog as Word?
WPS Writer includes a References tab with Insert Caption. It supports label, position, chapter numbering, and heading-style options for Word-compatible caption workflows.
